Business Start Up ProgrammeWe'll help you develop your business plan that will drive your business forward

Strabane Enterprise Agency is one of the local delivery agents for the Business Start Up Programme in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area. The Business Start Up Programme provides you with a range of guidance and support to help you develop and grow your business.

Join the hundreds of people who have already taken advantage of our FREE advice and mentoring. Contact us now to get:

“The programme is part funded through the Northern Ireland European Social Fund 2014-2020 Investment for Jobs and Growth Programme, the Department for the Economy, Enterprise Northern Ireland and the Local Enterprise Agencies.”

Exploring Enterprise 3 ProgrammeStrabane Enterprise Agency is one of the local delivery agents for the Exploring Enterprise 3 Programme in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area.

Do you need help getting into self-employment or employment?Our business advisors will advise, assist and provide access to mainstream support options.The Exploring Enterprise 3 Programme is aimed at people who are currently not in employment, self-employment or training (less than 16hrs per week), who are thinking about starting their own business or want to get back into employment.

It is a free programme that helps you take the first steps to gaining employment or exploring your business idea.You will achieve an accredited qualification within the programme. This will improve your CV and help break down barriers to self-employment or employment. Offers mentoring and training at a pace specifically tailored to suit your needs.

EligibilityYou must be either unemployed or working/in education less than 16hrs a week. You must be 16 or over.For Further Information Contact Orla McNultyE:orla.mcnulty@seagency.co.ukT: (028) 71382518

Co-Innovate Programme

The Co-Innovate programme is a cross border research and innovation (R&I) initiative funded under the European INTERREG VA Programme.The programme aims to increase the proportion of SMEs engaged in cross-border research and innovation in the Interreg eligible region of Northern Ireland, Border Region of Ireland and Western Scotland. For the first time, the programme brings together these regions’ key development agencies to deliver a programme aligned with each government’s strategic priorities.It is widely recognised that innovation is a critical driver to competiveness and growth. A survey carried out by InterTradeIreland across the eligible region showed that nearly 50% of SMEs are not innovation active. Each of the three jurisdictions aim to increase business expenditure on R&I and increase the number of firms innovating. The Co-Innovate programme intends to complement and support this aim and will target SMEs in the manufacturing and tradable services sector.The new partnership has developed an integrated programme of support and will run until early 2022. There are five key strands of activity that will engage with over 1,408 SMEs providing education and capability development support tailored to their needs.This programme is now open for applications. More information is available at http://www.co-innovateprogramme.eu/ci/ or contact a Business Advisor at Strabane Enterprise Agency on 028 71382518.

ENI Loan FundAre you in the process of starting your own business or have you just started within the past 24 months?Who is it for?Entrepreneurs needing finance that have been refused finance by banks or other financial institutions.Overview

Loans of up to £10,000 repayable between 1 and 5 years

Interest rates are fixed at 6% (6.2% APR)

No arrangement fees or early settlement penalties

Up to a maximum of 15 hours mentoring support in the 12month period following disbursement of the loan

Access to a range of exclusive offers from Corporate Partners such as Regus, Ebay, PayPal and others

EligibilityAll applicants must:

Be resident in the UK and over 18 years of age

Not currently bankrupt or subject to an Individual Voluntary Arrangement

Be able to supply evidence that they cannot secure funding through a high street bank

Be able to demonstrate by means of a business plan and cash flow forecast, a commercially viable business proposal

All businesses must:

Be based in Northern Ireland

Be legal, moral, non-discriminatory and must not undertake any activity which may offend public taste

What Next?Strabane Enterprise Agency will work with businesses to develop the business plan needed and complete an application that are required to apply for an ENI Loan.For further information visitwww.eniloans.comor ContactOrla McNultyE:orla.mcnulty@seagency.co.ukT: (028) 71382518

NI Small Business Loan FundWho is it for?Individuals, private companies and social enterprises in the SME and micro enterprise size range, in the start-up and growth phases of development.

How does it work?The NI Small Business Loan Fund (“the Fund”) will provide typically unsecured loans to individuals, private companies and social enterprises in the SME and micro enterprise size range, in the start-up and growth phases of development. Such enterprises are defined by the EU as:

A micro enterprise is defined as an enterprise that has fewer than 10 employees and has either an annual turnover of less than €2million or a balance sheet total not exceeding €2million.

A small enterprise is defined as an enterprise that has fewer than 50 employees and has either an annual turnover of less than €10million or a balance sheet total not exceeding €10million.

A medium enterprise is defined as an enterprise that has fewer than 250 employees and has either an annual turnover of less than €50million or a balance sheet total not exceeding €43million.

The Fund will help bridge a gap where other funding options have been exhausted. It will sit alongside other funding sources such as own funds, banks or credit unions.

Loans to recipients will be in the range of £1k – £50k and may be high risk in nature, as traditional bank funding will not have been available or will have been fully exhausted.

OutcomeThe applicant gains loan finance to invest in their business idea which they can pay back over an agreed period of time. Loans are to be used for business purposes only such as, purchase of fixed assets, working capital/cash flow or business start up/expansion costs.